


the weight of the world's a little lighter (all because of you)

by LiveLaughLovex



Series: we'll give you everything we have (we'll teach you everything we know) [1]
Category: The Code (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Doctors, Alternate Universe - Hospital, Established Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:54:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23100532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiveLaughLovex/pseuds/LiveLaughLovex
Summary: He was sitting on the bench outside the hospital when she found him, staring out into the night with an unreadable expression on his face.
Relationships: John "Abe" Abraham/Harper Li
Series: we'll give you everything we have (we'll teach you everything we know) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1899265
Kudos: 5





	the weight of the world's a little lighter (all because of you)

**Author's Note:**

> This wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I envisioned the first story I'd write for Parents!Harper/Abe, but it is, in fact, the first story I wrote anyway. The idea randomly popped into my head earlier today, and I just couldn't help myself. I hope you all enjoy this. Also, it will come as a surprise to absolutely no one that writing Abe and Harper together in this universe entertained me just as much as writing them together in their actual universe. They're adorable across the spectrum, okay? 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

He was sitting on the bench outside the hospital when she found him, staring out into the night with an unreadable expression on his face. He glanced up as she approached, mustering up a smile that seemed at least halfway genuine, and nodded to the space next to him in invitation.

“Hey,” she greeted softly, carefully settling onto the seat beside him.

“Hi,” he returned quietly. “How’d your surgery go?”

She shrugged. “He’ll live. Hopefully he’ll take my advice and avoid the bar scene for a while.”

“He didn’t take it the last two times he was here,” Abe pointed out with a wry smile.

“No,” Harper agreed with an exasperated sigh, “he didn’t. Maybe third time’s the charm, though.”

“My wife, the never-ending optimist,” Abe remarked fondly, wrapping his arm loosely around her as she rested her head on his shoulder. “How many bourbon bottles does this guy have to get broken over his head before you lose that glass half full outlook, huh?”

“Well, at least one more,” Harper retorted logically, tilting her head back to smile up at him when he laughed. “Hey,” she murmured, “I’m really sorry about your patient.”

It was his turn to shrug. “Not like I was expecting things to work out. The paramedics who brought him in said the car they pulled him out of looked more like an accordion than anything else. That isn’t really the sort of thing people walk away from.”

“Still. I know you…” She trailed off, unsure of what to say. “You did all you could do, John,” she finished gently. “It isn’t your fault that things went bad. The fact that he even made it here alive is a miracle.”

“No, I know. I do. It’s just…” He exhaled roughly, glancing away from her. “Over there, every time we lost somebody, I told myself that if we’d been somewhere else – better equipment, better facilities – things might’ve worked out differently. They might’ve made it. But pretty much every day I spent here disproves that, and I can’t decide if that makes it better or worse.”

“I’m sorry,” Harper replied quietly, unsure of what else she could say.

“Don’t be,” he requested, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “You’re already making it better.”

“I’m just sitting here,” she pointed out humorously.

“Yeah,” he nodded, his arm tightening around her shoulders. “I know.”

There was a flutter in her lower abdomen before she could formulate a response, and she smiled widely, reaching over to grab her husband’s free hand and press it to her stomach.

His eyes widened in delight as he felt the kicks himself, his smile brightening considerably as he stared in wonder. “She’s really at it tonight, isn’t she? She been kicking much today?”

“Not like this,” she replied softly, smiling as their unborn daughter kicked again; this time, her tiny foot connected with her father’s palm, causing his smile to widen. “She’s been pretty quiet, actually. I’m not surprised she’s chosen now to start up, though. She’s always more active when you’re around. I swear, Abe, it’s like she can sense you or something.” 

“Always, huh?” Abe echoed with a smirk. “That must make our joint surgeries a lot of fun for you.”

“Believe me, it does,” she muttered humorously, rolling her eyes with an exasperated fondness. “It’s very helpful sometimes, though. Getting the crap kicked out of me while I’m in the middle of somebody’s brain is a great way to keep me on my toes.”

“I’m sure there are easier methods,” Abe retorted drily, smiling once more when Ruby kicked his palm again. “But you have to admit, this one’s pretty cute.”

“Yeah,” she agreed softly, her hand covering his, “it really is. Though I’m hoping she’ll take at least a bit of a break during my spina bifida surgery in the morning.” Their little girl kicked again the second Harper finished speaking, causing her to shake her head. “I’m taking that as a sign she _won’t_ be doing that.”

“Probably not,” Abe agreed, amused. “Maybe she’s just trying to make sure you have the patience you’ll need to raise her,” he suggested a moment later.

Harper’s eyes widened slightly in response to the remark. “That’s a terrifying concept, sweetheart.”

“She _is_ going to be a teenager one day,” he pointed out. “According to Mom, raising those takes about the same amount of patience as Job.”

“I don’t remember being that bad of a teenager,” Harper protested lightly.

“Really?” Abe questioned doubtfully. “You never snuck out your window or told your parents you’d be one place when you actually planned to go somewhere else?”

Harper considered the question for a moment, then nodded regretfully. “Okay, so maybe I did both of those things a few times. But it’s fine!” she rushed to add. “My parents were extremely overbearing, so it wasn’t really fun to tell them things. All we have to do is be cooler than my parents, and maybe she’ll tell us things. And I love my parents, babe, but, I mean… you’ve met them. That’s not exactly a feat.”

“If you say so,” he nodded seriously, laughing when she reached over to lightly swat his arm. He once again tightening his grip on her shoulders, pressing another kiss to her head. “Hey,” he murmured after a few minutes had passed in comfortable silence, “thanks for finding me.”

“Always,” she replied just softly, her eyes drifting shut as she exhaled contentedly and snuggled a little closer.

**Author's Note:**

> The title comes from a line in Sleeping at Last's "Daughter." 
> 
> Also, the whole "kicking in certain people's presence" is absolutely a real thing, and it's completely adorable. Just the idea that babies have favorite people before they're even BORN, and that one of little Ruby's is her dad... look, all I'm saying is that if you cried, you'll hear absolutely no judgmental remarks from me. 
> 
> Also, just in case you're curious, Abe's a trauma surgeon and Harper's a neurosurgeon in this. Though they're not really mentioned in this, I also have positions for most everyone else: Rami's definitely the head nurse everybody loves, Turnbull is the Chief of Surgery, and Trey's a cardio surgeon. I can't decide if Maya would be in General, Trauma, or Pediatrics, so take your pick. I'll have to decide eventually, though, because I have more ideas for this universe, so if you want to take a side, please do. It'd really help me and my indecisiveness out.


End file.
